Knowledge base · Templates
Content calendar template: a free Excel template for small business social media
A free Excel content calendar with content pillars, a weekly rhythm, a publishing calendar and monthly tracking. Fill it in once a month and know what to post, where and when.
What is inside the template
Content pillars
Define three to five themes your content keeps coming back to, and the share of posts each one gets.
Weekly rhythm
Decide which channel gets a post on which weekday, so that the plan fits the time you actually have.
Publishing calendar
One row per post: date, time, channel, format, topic, copy, media, owner and status, with drop-down lists.
Monthly tracking
Record reach, reactions, comments and clicks per channel. The sheet calculates totals and engagement rate for you.
Instructions
A short guide with the monthly routine, so a new colleague can take over.
Use it in five steps
1. Choose the channels
Pick one to three channels where your customers already are. A calendar for five channels is a calendar nobody follows.
2. Set content pillars
Write three to five pillars, for example customer stories, tips, behind the scenes and offers, and give each a share.
3. Fix the weekly rhythm
Choose a realistic rhythm, for example two posts per week on LinkedIn and one on Instagram, and write it down.
4. Fill in the month
Once a month, add the dates from the 2027 calendar that fit your brand and plan one row per post.
5. Review the numbers
At the end of the month, fill in the tracking sheet and give the best-performing themes more room next month.
What every calendar row needs
Date and time, channel, format, one clear goal (reach, leads or sales), the copy, media, owner and status. If a field is empty, the post is not ready.
When a spreadsheet is not enough
A spreadsheet is a good start, but it does not publish anything, keep a version per channel next to the media, or ask a colleague to approve a post before it goes out. In Target the same calendar publishes automatically to your connected Facebook Pages, Instagram, Threads and LinkedIn.
Frequently asked questions
What is a content calendar?
A content calendar is a plan of what you publish, on which channel and when. It keeps your marketing consistent and saves time.
How often should I update the content calendar?
Plan once a month and check weekly. Review the themes and results every quarter.
Excel or Google Sheets?
Both work. If several people edit the calendar, upload the file to Google Drive and open it with Google Sheets.
Is the template free?
Yes. Download it without signing up and use it in Excel or Google Sheets.
Related guides
Social media calendar 2027 for Finland: holidays, events and a free template
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Content Calendar – What It Is, Why You Need One and How to Create It
How to build a content calendar for your business.
Multichannel marketing for small business: publish once, schedule to every channel
Write one core message and adapt it to every channel.
Plan once, publish to every channel
Build your content calendar in Target, schedule posts for each channel and let them publish automatically.
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